Guidance Notes
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Guidance Notes (200kb)
Opening date: 14 September 2011
Closing date: 31 October 2011
- INTRODUCTION
- About the COMMUNITY BUILDING PARTNERSHIP program
- PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
- FUNDING AVAILABLE
- WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?
- WHO IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?
- WHAT TYPE OF PROJECTS MAY BE FUNDED?
- WHAT WILL NOT BE FUNDED?
- PROJECT ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
- ASSESSMENT PROCESS
- HOW TO APPLY
- NOTIFICATION
- PAYMENT OF GRANTS
- INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
- DISCLAIMER
- GOVERNMENT INFORMATION (Public Access) Act 2009
- PRIVACY POLICY
- DISCLOSURE OF PROJECT INFORMATION
- DECLARATION BY APPLICANT
- IMPORTANT NOTES
- FURTHER INFORMATION
- Appendix 1: List of Electoral Districts
1. INTRODUCTION
Community infrastructure is critical to the wellbeing of citizens and local communities throughout New South Wales. Community infrastructure includes facilities such as local halls, community health centres and sporting grounds. This infrastructure encourages more vibrant, inclusive, harmonious, cohesive and participatory communities.
Community infrastructure supports activities that benefit communities including:
- the delivery of social services to members of society, especially to disadvantaged members such as low income, non-English speaking or indigenous communities;
- participation in group sport, cultural and artistic activity;
- the pursuit of community social, educational and religious interests;
- support for working families through community based child care and child services;
- activities for young people such as guides, scouting and youth interest groups that provide interaction and tolerance between young people; and
- enhancing the community’s interaction with the natural environment by improving access (particularly for the disabled) to wilderness areas, parklands and outdoor recreational facilities.
In addition to the support for these activities provided by the NSW Government, significant contributions are made by volunteers through their participation in not-for-profit community groups and by local councils.
Members of the community have highlighted the importance of these activities to NSW communities previously through state-wide consultation processes. Accordingly, the NSW government has set goals which seek to:
- make it easier for people to be involved in their communities
- increase opportunities for children, youth and older community members in NSW to fully participate in community life
- enhance cultural, creative, sporting and recreational opportunities; and
- increase participation in community and volunteering, especially for children, youth and the aged, and people from disadvantaged, diverse cultural backgrounds, and Aboriginal communities.
Community infrastructure enables these activities and services to be provided by not-for-profit groups to local communities. This infrastructure is predominately provided and maintained at the local level through local councils and not-for-profit groups.
2. About the COMMUNITY BUILDING PARTNERSHIP program
The NSW 2011 Community Building Partnership program will deliver improved community infrastructure for the people of NSW and encourage the enhancement of local community based activities that create more vibrant and inclusive communities.
The NSW Government has announced $34.5 million for this initiative in the 2011-2012 NSW Budget. This initiative will provide grants to all parts of the State on an individual electoral district basis for community infrastructure projects.
Grant funding of up to $300,000 is available for every electoral district. An additional $100,000 is available for the 48 State electorates with higher levels of social disadvantage as indicated by higher comparative unemployment rates. The maximum amount of funding available for each electorate is detailed at Appendix 1.
Grants will be open to local councils and incorporated not-for-profit bodies such as charities, sporting, social and environmental groups. Projects are required to be completed before the end of March 2013.
Public advertisements and State Members of Parliament will call for applications from local councils and community groups within their electoral districts. Information is available from the NSW Community Building Partnership website www.communitybuildingpartnership.nsw.gov.au and from the electorate offices of State Members of Parliament.
Grants to councils (including their Section 355 committees) will require matched (cash) funding from the council. While this is not a requirement for applications from incorporated not-for-profit bodies, applications that incorporate co-contributions will receive favourable consideration.
Applications will need to be made online through the Community Building Partnership website (see below at How To Apply). The program will open for applications from 14 September and closes on 31 October 2011.
3. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the NSW 2011 Community Building Partnership program are to:
- Improve local community participation and cohesion through the delivery of social, environmental or recreational services or activities by enhancement of community infrastructure.
- Improve opportunities for people from disadvantaged or otherwise isolated groups to be included in community activities.
4. FUNDING AVAILABLE
- The maximum grant available for each Electoral District is listed at Appendix 1.
- Not-for-profit organisations may submit more than one application.
- Generally only one project proposal for each local council within an electorate will be considered in the electorate area. Councils may submit a project proposal for a location in each electorate within their area.
- Local Councils (including their Section 355 committees) will be required as a minimum to provide matching (cash) funding to the CBP grants. Matching contributions from Councils (and Section 355 Committees) must be in the form of cash and can be provided from council income sources or from other external funding sources.
- Not-for-profit organisations are eligible to seek the entire project cost as a grant. Favourable consideration will, however, be given to those projects with contributions from their own or from other sources.
- Voluntary labour and donated materials can form part of the not-for-profit organisation’s contribution to the project funding. Details of the voluntary labour and donated materials including estimated value should be provided in the project budget (see the application form).
- It is required that the applicant will cover any administration costs incurred with the project.
- While grant funding may be applied to the cost of obtaining development approval, no funding will be advanced until that consent has been secured.
5. WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?
- Incorporated, community based not-for-profit organisations.
- NSW local councils (and their Section 355 committees) operating under the Local Government Act (1993).
6. WHO IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?
- Individuals, groups of individuals.
- Unincorporated organisations.
- For profit, commercial organisations.
- State and Federal Government agencies.
7. WHAT TYPE OF PROJECTS MAY BE FUNDED?
Applications should demonstrate how they will deliver positive results for communities, especially community social, recreational, environmental or employment outcomes. Funded projects will provide community benefits through:
- Construction of new capital works;
- Refurbishment, repairs and maintenance to existing capital facilities; or
- The purchase of capital equipment with a life expectancy of 15+ years that enables the delivery of new or enhanced community services.
8. WHAT WILL NOT BE FUNDED?
- Non capital equipment (e.g. computers, IT equipment, sports equipment etc).
- Projects that have commenced prior to 31 October 2011.
- Projects that involve the development of private or commercial ventures including licensed areas of registered clubs.
- Projects that seek funding for the organisation’s operating recurrent expenses (eg: staff, consumables etc).
- Projects that seek funding to stage events, exhibit a display or for filming.
- Projects to undertake studies or investigations.
- Purchase of land or buildings is generally not appropriate.
9. PROJECT ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
- The successful projects will be assessed relative to all projects within each Electoral District on merit against the following criteria:
- Enhancement or construction of community infrastructure that is pivotal to local community members providing activities and services needed by local communities that promote vibrancy, harmony, cohesion and participation.
- Projects which encourage participation in activities or services needed by a broad section of the community and which promote inclusion by disadvantaged sections of the community.
- Projects that provide value for money by leveraging other sources of funds to deliver the community infrastructure.
- Projects that will create employment during construction and/or ongoing employment, or improve the ongoing sustainability of the activity or service delivery.
- The capacity and experience of the organisation to deliver the project.
10. ASSESSMENT PROCESS
The assessment process comprises 2 stages.
Stage 1: An initial eligibility assessment will determine that:
- The application is complete, includes the organisation’s audited financial statements, quotes or an estimate of project cost, the application was submitted by the closing date, it meets program requirements in regards to project commencement and completion dates and amount of funds requested.
- The applicant organisation is eligible to apply (See section 5 above) and has Public Liability Insurance with a minimum $5m cover.
- NSW Fair Trading will confirm the applicant organisation is an eligible type (see section 5 above).
- The project or that part seeking funding conforms to the type of project that may be funded (See section 7 above).
Stage 2: Grading of applications against the Project Assessment Criteria (Section 9).
Details of eligible projects will be provided to the respective State Member of Parliament for an assessment of the importance of the project to the electorate. Members of Parliament may seek to engage their communities as part of this process and consult with applicants to determine if the project can still proceed with a grant that is less than the amount requested.
For each electorate there will also be assessment by an Independent Review Panel of NSW Government representatives to determine the relative merit of each eligible application in terms of value for money, economic impact and organisational delivery capacity. These assessments will be combined and used to prepare recommendations to the Premier on the relative merit of projects for each electorate.
11. HOW TO APPLY
The following points explain the online application process:
- Read the information about the grant program and determine whether you are eligible. Download or print the Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
- Read the Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions to familiarise yourself with the program and information you will need during the application process.
- If you have previously applied search for your organisation on the website. If not found, register your organisation.
- Register the project(s) on the online system.
- Complete the online application for each project *.
- Submit the completed online application.
Note *: You do not have to complete the project application process in one session. Sections can be saved after each session and edited in later sessions before each completed project application is submitted.
Visit the grants website: http://www.communitybuildingpartnership.nsw.gov.au/
12. NOTIFICATION
All applicants will be individually notified via the email registered for the organisation in the on-line system to confirm each project has been successfully submitted and after March 2012 on the outcome of their application. Successful applicants will be published on the Community Building Partnership website.
13. PAYMENT OF GRANTS
Successful applicants will be sent a Letter of Offer that will need to be signed and returned with a tax invoice for the contracted/instalment amount of the grant. If the successful applicant is registered for GST, GST will need to be added to the approved grant amount in the tax invoice submitted.
Where applicable, applicants will also be required to forward evidence that development consent and/or owners consent has been obtained.
Progress reports will be required as will a completion report and acquittal of funds. Successful applicants will be required to provide evidence of project commencement, progress and completion. Evidence may include before, during and after photos; statements from the tradesperson stating that works have been completed in line with relevant standards; occupancy certificates from the local council; invoices and receipts or details of payment to the tradesperson; media coverage etc.
Projects awarded grants greater than or equal to $50,000 will need to provide an audited financial statement for the project as part of the completion report and acquittal statement evidence.
14. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
Organisations applying for funding via this program are required to have a minimum Public Liability Insurance cover of $5m.
It is recommended, but not a condition of funding, that applicant organisations also have Personal Accident, Professional Indemnity and Directors and Officers Insurance. Organisations that employ staff are required to comply with relevant industrial relations and occupational health and safety requirements.
15. DISCLAIMER
Submission of an application does not guarantee funding. The costs of preparing an application are borne by the applicant.
16. GOVERNMENT INFORMATION (Public Access) Act 2009
Information received in applications and in respect of applications is treated as confidential. However, documents in the possession of the Government are subject to the provisions of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009. Under some circumstances a copy of the application form and other material supplied by the applicant may be released, subject to the deletion of exempt material, in response to a request made in accordance with the Act.
17. PRIVACY POLICY
The NSW Government will collect and store the information you voluntarily provide to enable processing of this grant program.
Any information provided by you will be stored on a database that will only be accessed by authorised personnel and is subject to privacy restrictions. The information will only be used for the purpose for which it was collected.
The NSW Government is required to comply with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998. The NSW Government collects the minimum personal information to enable it to contact an organisation and to assess the merits of an application.
Applicants must ensure that people whose personal details are supplied with applications are aware that the NSW Government is being supplied with this information and how this information will be used.
18. DISCLOSURE OF PROJECT INFORMATION
Should your application be successful, the NSW Government may wish to provide certain information to the media and Members of Parliament for promotional purposes. This information will include organisation and project name, project description, electorate, town, and amount of the approved grant.
19. DECLARATION BY APPLICANT
The declaration section of the application must be authorised by a member of the executive/committee as deemed under the Articles of Association for not-for profit organisations or by the General Manager or delegated officer of the council submitting the application.
This will require the applicant to certify that the application is truthful and to agree the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet may disclose information contained in the application to other government agencies, local government authorities, reviewers and staff assisting with the administration or promotion of State Government grant schemes.
20. IMPORTANT NOTES
The NSW Government’s capacity to efficiently assess your application is conditional upon you submitting a completed, accurate application. Applications may be deemed ineligible if all information is not provided.
Apart from organisational and applicant contact details, no information provided in applications may be changed after the project is submitted and/or the closing date.
21. FURTHER INFORMATION
Staff are available to provide information to potential applicants on interpretation of these Guidelines including types of projects eligible for funding. They can also provide advice on the online application process. Please direct enquiries to our toll free number 1300 707 155 or send us an email at cbp@communities.nsw.gov.au.
Appendix 1: List of Electoral Districts
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